Arachidonic acid and methods for the production and use thereof
AssigneeMartek Corporation
InventorDavid J. Kyle
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention relates to processes for the production of arachidonic acid containing oils, which preferably are substantially free of eicosapentaneoic acid. The invention also relates to compositions containing such oils, in an unmodified form, and to uses of such oils. In a preferred embodiment, Pythium insidiosum is cultivated, harvested and the oil is extracted, recovered, and used as an additive for infant formula. In an alternative embodiment, Mortierella alpina is cultivated, harvested and the oil is extracted, recovered, and used as an additive for infant formula.
Claims52
A method for the production of an arachidonic add-containing oil, said oil further comprising no more than one fifth as much eicosapentaenoic acid as arachidonic acid, comprising:
- (a) cultivating Pythium insidiosum in a culture medium containing a carbon source and a nitrogen source, with air sparging and agitation of the culture medium, to induce said Pythium insidiosum to produce an oil containing arachidonic acid and no more than one fifth as much eicosapentaenoic acid as arachidonic acid;
- (b) harvesting said Pythium insidiosum;
- (c) extracting said oil from said harvested Pythium insidiosum;
- and
- (d) recovering said oil.
A method for the production of an arachidonic acid-containing oil, said oil containing triglycerides wherein at least 25% of the fatty acid residues are ARA, and the amount of EPA residues in the oil is no more than one-fifth the amount of ARA residues, comprising
- (a) cultivating Mortierella sp. in an aerated fermentor containing culture medium having a carbon source in an amount equivalent to at least 80 g/L glucose and a nitrogen source in an amount equivalent to at least 15 g/L yeast extract;
- (b) maintaining the pH between 5 and 6 at the beginning of the cultivation;
- (c) maintaining the pH between 7 and 7.5 at the end of the cultivation;
- and
- (d) harvesting biomass from the fermentor and recovering said arachidonic acid-containing oil from said biomass.
A fungal triglyceride oil comprising at least about 30% ARA in the triglyceride and no more than one tenth as much EPA as ARA.
A method of providing triglyceride containing ARA to an infant formula which comprises adding a fungal oil comprising at least 30% ARA in the form of triglyceride and comprising no more than one fifth as much EPA as ARA to an infant formula in an amount sufficient to provide an ARA content which corresponds to the amount of ARA in human breast milk.
Infant formula comprising triglyceride containing ARA in an amount comparable to the amount in human breast milk wherein the ARA is provided by adding to infant formula a sufficient amount of a fungal oil comprising triglyceride containing at least 30% ARA and no more than one fifth as much EPA as ARA.
A fungal oil, wherein the oil is from Pythium insidiosum and comprises at least about 10% ARA and no more than one tenth as much EPA as ARA.
A method of providing ARA to an infant formula which comprises adding a fungal oil from Pythium insidiosum comprising at least 10% ARA and comprising no more than one fifth as much EPA as ARA to an infant formula in an amount sufficient to provide an ARA content which corresponds to the amount of ARA in human breast milk.
Infant formula comprising ARA in an amount comparable to the amount in human breast milk wherein the ARA is provided by adding to infant formula a sufficient amount of a fungal oil from Pythium insidiosum comprising at least 10% ARA and no more than one fifth as much EPA as ARA.
A method of providing a human with supplemental arachidonic acid (ARA) comprising administering to a human in need of supplemental ARA a composition containing fungal oil containing ARA in the form of triglyceride, said oil containing at least 30% ARA and no more than one fifth as much eicosapentaenoic acid(EPA) as ARA, wherein said oil is present in an amount effective to provide supplemental ARA to said human.
A cosmetic composition comprising fungal oil containing ARA in the form of triglyceride, said oil containing at least 30% ARA and no more than one fifth as much eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) as ARA, wherein said oil is present in said composition in an amount effective to assist in maintaining skin tone when said composition is applied topically.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.